Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Students will gain real-world experience as the yearlong program analyzes suburban development, possible designs and locations for new buildings, development of a brownfield site, incorporating natural light into transit hubs and ways to make schools more sustainable.

The fall curriculum includes 11 courses that integrate architecture and landscape architectural design, planning, ecology and public policy education in a broad approach to sustainability. Future courses may include law and business.

The program is part of the Sustainable Cities Initiative, which is one of five interdisciplinary themes -- coined "Big Ideas" -- that are shaping the future academic priorities at the UO. The goal of the initiative is to promote research, education, service and public outreach related to the development of sustainable cities.

About the Author

Jonathan L. Gelbard, Ph.D. is a rare combination of conservation scientist, sustainability expert and communication specialist. He is a top notch researcher, writer, speaker and problem-solver who excels at serving as a bridge — applying the science underlying sustainability to help citizens, businesses and decision-makers devise cutting-edge solutions.